Shoe-lace-fastening device



A. BONGIOVANNI SHOE LACE FASTENINGIDEVICE Dec; 25, 192s. 1,696,791

Filed May 14, 1927 Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES A 1,696,791 PATENT OFFICE.

ANTONIO BONGIOVANNI, OF BARNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE.- FOURTH TO JESS FRIDMAN, OF BARNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-FOURTH TO SAMUEL IRVING CALLET, OFJOI-INSTOWN PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOE-LACE-FASTENING DEVICE.

Application filed May 14, 1927. Serial No. 191,330.

This invention relates to shoe fastenings,

and more particularly to shoe lace fasten- Y ings whereby the tied ends of the cord or lace used for lacing a shoe may be secured together so that the lace may not work loose or become untied.

The lacings ordinarily employed for drawing the adjoining edges of the vamp of a shoe together and securing them by tying the ends of the cord or lace are liable to work loose or become untied, and thus produce discomfort and an unsightly appearance while permitting the edges of the vamp to spread apart and allow the foot to be shoved forward so as to cramp the toes and thus produce friction and irritation which results in the formation of corns. Furthermore, when the lace becomes untied or works loose the tongue of the shoe will slip toward one side and expose to view the stocking underlying the tongue, thus producing an unsightly appearance, and as the lacing loosens the tongue becomes wrinkled, thus causing irritation of the foot and producing discomfort and annoyance to the wearer.

One object of my invention is to obviate the foregoing objections to laced shoes or to the use of cords or laces such as are ordinarily employed for securing together the adjoining edges of the uppers or vamp of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, eflicient, inexpensive and reliable means for securing together and firmly holding the ends of the cord or lace used for lacing and tying a shoe so as to prevent the lace from working loose or becoming untied.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a laced shoe having applied thereto fastening means embodying my invention; the ends of the lace being tied in a bowknot and clasped by the fastening means so that the lace cannot work loose or the knot become untied, While the tongue is prevented from slipping sidewise;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View illustrating the mode of securing the fastening means to the free end of the tongue of a laced shoe;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my im proved lace fastening device applied to the tongue of a laced shoe'and illustrating the mode of clamping the ends of the lace by a double fold of the fastening device; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the fastener. 7

Referring to said drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to denote corresponding parts in different views, the letter A denotes an ordinary laced shoe hav-' ing the free edges of the vamp drawn together by means of a cord or lace B, the ends of which are shown tied together in the usual manner; such shoe being provided with a tongue C to which is secured a duplex clamping device embodying my in vention;'said device being preferably of the form shown, although other forms may be employed. In' the form shown the device consists of a base member D having the form of a loop through which'the tongue C is passed with an overlapping portion thereof sewed or riveted to the main portion so as to provide a pivotal connection, and a clamping member D both pivotally secured to an intermediate or supporting Said base member may be member D secured to said intermediate member by means of a metal plate at embracing horizontally disposed portions of the two parts so as to form a hinge-like connection therebetween, while opposite end portions of said intermediate member extend toward and are turned inwardly to engage eyes or sockets d at opposite ends of the clamping member D the base portion d of which is preferably formed or provided with a toothed or serrated edge adapted to engage and clamp the tied or overlapped ends of the lace between said toothed'portion and a horizontally disposed portion (5 of said intermediate or supporting member 1) so as to bind the connected ends of the cord or lace and hold them together in such manner that the usual knot formed iii-tying the meeting ends of the lace may not become loose or untied, or if the ends of the lace are merely overlapped and untied they will be firmly secured together by the clasp with a single fold, but to make assurance doublysure in securing the ends of the cord or lace together, so that they may not accidentally become loose or untied, the fas tener may be twice folded, by first folding the pivotally connected members D and I)", one upon the other, so as to clasp the ends of the lacetherebetween, as shown in Fig. 1, and then folding the two folded members down upon the base member D, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position of the parts it is practically impossible for the lace to work loose or become untied by accident or otherwise than by applied force.

Fastening devices embodying my inventionmaybe constructed of any suitable material, such for example, as nickel-plated metal, silver or gold, and may be ornamented so as to present an attractive appearance and produce a pleasing effect.

In operation, the free ends of the lace, either tied together or arranged in overlapped relation, are clasped between the intermediate or supporting member and the pivotally attached clamping member, by folding the latter upon the former, with the lace therebetween, as hereinbefore described, and the clamping member will be retained in such position under ordinary conditions of use until sufficient force is applied to release the lace this vbeing accomplished by bending the end-portions of the intermediate or supporting member out of the plane of the base portion thereof so that its pivotal connection with the clamping member lies in a plane intersecting the pivotal connection between the two members parallel with but slightly separated from the base portion thereof so that when the clamping member is folded to clasp the lace between it and said supporting member the main portion thereof will be moved past the center of movement on its pivotal connection with said supporting member, as shown in Fi 4, and when the fastener is twice folded, as hereinbefore described, sufiicient frictional resistance will be exerted between the pivotally connected portions of the intermediate member and the base member to prevent the fastener from becoming unfolded without the application of sufficient force for that purpose.

It will be understood of course that my improved fastening device may be applied to various kinds of laced shoes and to other articles of wearing apparel in which lacings are used, and that the use thereof is not limited to any particular form of lacing or to a laced shoe of the particular form shown. Various changes may also be made in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.. In combination with a shoehaving a tongue and means for applying a cord or lace to secure the edges of the vamp or uppers together, a duplex lace fastening device comprising a base member and a clamping member pivotally secured on opposite sides of an intermediate supporting member of oblong form transversely of the tongue of the shoe; said base member being pivoted to the tongue; said members being foldable one upon another so as to adapt-them to clasp the ends of the cord or lace and firmly secure them together by a double fold.

2. In a device of the character described, a shoe lace fastening device consisting of an intermediate member of oblong form transversely of the tongue of the shoe and having pivotally secured thereto a base member having the form of a loop through which the tongue of a shoe is passed and secured so as to provide a pivotal connection therewith, and a clamping member supported on said intermediate member and cooperating therewith to clasp the overlapped ends of the lace in a single fold; the two members forming the clasp being adapted to be folded over or upon thebase member so as to secure the lace by a double fold.

3. In combination with a laced shoe, a lace fastening device comprising a base member pivotally secured to the tongue of the shoe and also pivoted to a supporting member; the latter member being of oblong form transversely of the tongue of the shoe and having pivot-ed thereto a clamping me1nber adapted to cooperate therewith in clasping therebetween the tied ends of the lace so as to prevent the lace from becoming untied; said clamping member having a toothed edge for engaging the lace clamped between it and said supporting member.

4:. In combination with a laced shoe, a lace fastening device comprising an intermediate supporting and clamping member of oblongform transversely of the tongue of the shoe and having pivoted thereto at one side a base member and at the other 7 side a co-openting clamping member between which and the intermediate member the ends of a lace may be clamped; said base member being pivotally secured to the tongue of the shoe and said intermediate and co-operating clamping member being adapted to be folded over upon the base member with a double fold for greater certainty in holding the ends of the lace together. a

In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature.

ANTONIO BoNeIovANNr. 

